OK, swapped out the old Blau Monterey cassette/receiver in went the new Panasonic CD/receiver and still, with 17 more years of technology, I still get poor AM/FM reception.

I checked the cable to the receiver, and it works because when I remove it, I get no AM/FM. With it I get poor FM and NO AM.

I checked the booster line and there is switched power as checked with an accessory light bulb. But whether it's hooked up or not, same reception.

OK, so where is the booster circuit located? I know the wire runs up behind the glove box. I assume it goes through the firewall into the trunk area passenger side. Anyone have pictures?
Could the booster be broken? Could it get unplugged somehow? I hear if a windscreen gets replaced, sometimes the installers forget to hook up the booster.

Anyone been here before?

 

I have the exact same problem. Replaced an aftermarket Alpine stereo (excellent reception) with the original CR-210 Radio. I get lousy FM reception and virtually no AM reception. Where is the booster line?

 

I had the same problem while change to in dash CD and CD changer, I almost go with after market antenna, but until I showed 1 wire need to hook-up to the chassis from anteena cable, problem solve

 

On my RHD car the windscreen aerial connector is on the right and is located behind the clock on the extreme right. The aerial connector is accessed by removing the clock.

On LHD cars it is could all be the other way around.

No idea where the 'booster' is though.

 

Frank-
the booster line (black) runs along side the antenna cable. The CD/receiver instructions says to hook it to the power antenna lead (dark blue). this way it get power only when the radio is turned on (as if it were to be powering a motor for a power antenna).
That all works, but the booster doesn't do anything. That's why I wanted to know where the booster lives. Maybe it's ground is bad, or if it has a fuse, maybe it's blown. Or, maybe the antenna leads from the windscreen wire are bad.

TC- not sure what your saying. the English is not so good...

 

Viv- So, for us LHD'rs on this side of the pond, if all windscreen are "standard", that would put the connection behind the glove box. That's got to be the place to start.
I would also still guess the booster is there too.
Was that also the case in your RHD? Was the booster (power assist unit for the antenna) there too?

 

I was wondering if all the screens were the same too. I can see the wire running in the screen up from the lower centre, up and across the top of the screen and then down, to the right in my case. If they are all the same that would make it near the glovebox for you guys.

The trailing wire from the screen is only 4 inches or so long. If you want more info on that let me know as I have a replacement screen in my living room right now waiting to be fitted!

It was the screen fitters who replaced my glass last time so I'm afraid I didn't get to see if there was booster nearby or even what it fitted in to - sorry!

 

Viv- LHD'rs windscreen has the embedded wires to the right as well. So perhaps it's standard. I guess if I remove the inner glove box, I'll find the pot of gold...

 

Its possible that not all models have a booster as my radio works fine with the ignition off, suggesting that it doesn't have one.

 

I'll work it this week and report back to those who would be interested.

 

Per my Bentley's manual for '84 - '89 the antenna amp is "below the right lower corner of the windshield and is accessable through the luggage compartment". There are 2 small black boxes in the area of the right hood shock (but against the outside sheetmetal), the bigger box in front is for the Central Locking Control Module and the smaller rearward box w/ one wire going to it is the antenna amp (very difficult to get to).

Check for 12v at the wire going to the amp w/ radio on (and key on). I suspect car's main radio fuse powers it but don't know for sure.

HTH,
Bill

When I replaced my radio I didn't know about the booster and rode around for a week w/ crappy FM. Found out about the booster wire, hooked it up and it's been fine since.

 

Oh, dawn breaks and I think I see now - the booster is normally powered via the radio.

Hence the reason my radio works ok even with the ignition off.

 

All that may care....
the booster was kaput. impossible to get to, but it appeared to not do a thing.
I removed the antenna wire from behind the CD/receiver and disconnected the power line and installed a METRA UA200 power amplified antenna (picture to follow when I... 1. have a web site, 2. can figure out how to do it)
Anyway it works great!! strong FM reception, and I even get AM for the traffic reports. also, it fits pretty really good to the glass against the a pillar on the drivers side with the ground wire attached to a new rivet on the VIN plate.
since it's so difficult to attach pictures, anyone who wants, please e-mail me....